Spotting scopes allow users to view different subjects clearly from a distance in a number of different applications (e.g., surveillance, nature-watching, shooting, general long distance observation). Traditional optics-based spotting scopes have limits in the distances that can be seen clearly. For example, the distances at which an object is located relative to a spotting scope can simply be too great for a portable scope to be able to see with any usable resolution. As another example, an optics-based spotting scope may require a line-of-sight from the scope to the target. Thus acquisition of the target may not be achievable using a traditional spotting scope.